‘Slapped’ Gopalganj DM is accused in SDO murder case in Manipur: Report

13/03/2011

Patna,(BiharTimes): Gopalganj district magistrate Pankaj Kumar Pal, who was reportedly slapped by the lady principal of a college, Madhu Prabha Singh, a couple of days back has been accused of murdering Sub-Divisional Officer and his two sub-ordinate staff in Manipur, where he was posted as the Deputy Commissioner.

Media reports from Imphal said that after the appearance of news in the media the Joint Action Committee Against the Brutal Killing of Dr Thingnam Kishan, Y Token and A Rajen has pleaded the Court for suitable directions in this regard.

The former Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul Pankaj Kumar Pal was in fact accused of involvement in the triple murder of SDO Thingnam Kishan, Y Token and A Rajen.

Reports said that following the brutal murder of the then Kasom Khullen SDO and his two subordinate staff, the government of Manipur suspended Pal on February 19, 2009.

The Government further instructed Pankaj Kumar Pal not to leave Imphal headquarters without the permission of the Chief Secretary.(Order of Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Government of Manipur, No. 4/25/2003-IAS/DP)

But some time later, the Officer-in-Charge of Ukhrul police station, where an FIR was lodged against him, submitted that the IAS officer “could not be located”.

As the recent incident of slapping became a national news and people in Manipur could locate him the JAC is now demanding the Investigationg Officer of the case to record statement of Pankaj Kumar Pal.

The slapping incident caused a furore in the Bihar Legislative Council with RJD, Congress, and CPM MLAs demanding action against the DM as the latter was slapped by the lady principal in self-defence. These MLAs and the college employees and teachers alleged that it was Pal who beat the lady principal and subsequently put her behind bars. Not only that another college teacher was thrashed as they were unable to check unfair means in Class-XII examination.

After the accidental exposure of Pal JAC is raising several pertinent questions. As to how this officer escaped from Manipur and got posted in deputation by the Bihar government when so serious charges are pending against him.

Here in Bihar there is already serious resentment among the IAS officers of Bihar cadre. Off the record many of them have complained that officers brought on deputation from all over the country are being give plum posting.

It needs to be recalled that only a few days before the March 10 incident a girl examinee of Class-X threatened to commit suicide when Pal caught her cheating. When Pal expelled her she actually committed suicide. The incident caused a lot of anger among the people.